Welcome back to another season of ‘In a Mother’s Mind’! This podcast series aims to raise awareness about the experiences and needs of women who have had children removed from their care. It was created by a group of four women who have experience of having children removed from their care and who have completed the Pause Programme.

In this season, we will be discussing some of the complexities women face around housing, when going through – or after going through – care proceedings. We are kicking the season off with a discussion with Polly Neate, CEO of Shelter. We discuss some of the practical and financial challenges this group of women face, and what can be done to better support them. We are also joined by Angela Frazer-Wicks, who is the Chair of Trustees for Family Rights Group, to hear about her own personal difficulties with housing before, during and after having her two children removed from her care.  

**Trigger warning: please take care when listening to this podcast episode, as there are references to personal experience of the care system, violence and suicide.  

If you are experiencing difficulties with housing, there are lots of services out there where you can get support. In the podcast episode, Polly mentions that St Mungo’s and Homeless Link have been doing some important work around understanding women’s experiences and making homelessness services more trauma-informed. 

As Angela mentions in her interview, you can seek advice from Family Rights Group about care proceedings. 

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, contact Women’s Aid, or a local domestic abuse charity in your area.  

Hosted by Helena, a woman with experience of the Pause Programme   
Interviews by Helena and Vanessa, women with experience of the Pause Programme   
Produced by Fi Gilligan and Karina Graham 
Music by Ben Jacob  
Editing by Will Jacob  

To find out more about Pause, visit: pause.org.uk